The things I'll do
by simonanderson
Summary: A survivor goes back to find the last piece of his past. Making his way back for clues on a friend he soon discovers something that makes his journey a bittersweet one.


**The Things I'll Do**

Witch x OC

Everyone thought it was crazy to go back for her. The green flu made it suicide for anyone without knowledge of the area. Living here for most of my child hood I got to know all the small passages between the old mill and the high school. It was all good to know since I was going back for her.

The day was long and the landscape was choked with fog. Her so called friends could not reach her in time before they drove off without her. What was left of my family tried to stop me from doing this. She was my closest confident and best friend since junior high. If I had been in town I would have pulled her out of her myself. Fate seemed to not work to my favor in that way so I made the the decision to come here on the smallest of chances that she may be alive. Feeling the weight of the shotgun in my hands was a tonic for my nerves

Working from Main street I hoped that it would be an easy trip. Pacific highway and the mill rested in opposite sides of the old town district. First place to check was her house. Luckily, the few zombies I could hear were still fighting the wild life from the western forests. Being so close to the large forests in the pacific northwest many zombies would deal with Grizzlies and Black bears. Special infected still I knew the types from what I had heard from other survivors as well as my own dealings with them. The roads began to shrink in width as houses solemnly stood down one side of the street. A rough patchwork set of bridges allowed one to work their way across from roof to roof.

Even with the fog I noticed the trademark rumble of pavement. Somewhere close there was a tank without anyone backing me up I did not have anywhere close to the firepower needed. Debating how to reach the roof path I noticed the bridges connected to the last on the block. Moving the gate sounded loud in my eyes as the chain link rustled against the grass. That was enough to feel the trembles slowly moving my way. Carefully making my way up the stairs the wood broke giving me away as a large hand soon palmed my head before chucking my high overhead. Everything went dark for what I guessed for a half day.

Waking up I found myself surrounded by branches in the top of a large oak. More then a story off the ground I could not get down without risking injury. Knowing that tank was there made me think twice of going to street level. More then three houses down from where I was started with another three to go. How to drop twenty feet soon became ten tops from the lowest branch that would hold me. Leslie would smile at me being so brash. Not many could say that got thrown by a tank and survived.

Reflecting on the moment iit was not until the tongue wrapped around my neck and shoulder that I felt something. Soon I was rocketing back out of the tree to do a splat against the wood before it broke with the force of impact letting me land inside the house. My captor fell from the roof from my momentum after taking a swing on his tongue.

[AJ! Come on..]

She pulled my arm making me stumble up the stairs to her front door. I had recently been quizzed about my movies with her being shocked. We left class her hand in mine. Neither one of us had dated the other nor were either one of us in a relationship with someone else. The warmth of her hand was so unique to me I was left a stuttering mess. Lounging on the couch suddenly was hard as she sat next to me with a big bowl of popcorn. Her family knew me for many years ever since we had started to hang out together.

I grew while she was not much taller then me in middle school . She was very sick as a baby and her growth was stunted after a certain point making her a very petite women. Leslie was one special girl as she curled up to me I had to smile.

Looking back on it I should have asked her out, but it just never seemed to happen. Life was so good back then I felt a tear escape that represented everything that could have been.

"Leslie, I'm coming" I could only hope she could hear.

Despite the hole in the house I had crashed the number of regular zombies were very few. One was scratching against the walls. Dusting myself off I could feel the toll the toll two hard impacts can take out of someone. My shotgun was missing ever since my sudden flight from the tank. Checking my pants the gun still sat in the buttoned holster. Taking a breath the door swung open off one kick. After a couple shots to the walker dropped to the floor. Pulling the body out before dropping through the side hole I had made before resting on the other side of the door.

Crying, someone was crying. It woke me after a couple hours. Sun rise marred the sky as he began to look for the source.

"Hideous...I'm Hideous.."

Going into the room across the way he followed it past a corpse of a survivor slashed to bits. The bathroom seemed to be the end of the hunt. Wary of whatever slashed the man to a corpse in a bathtub a form looked huddled. Opening the curtain the huddled form my other hand held the handgun so I could get a bead on my target which was a bloody, beaten, backpack.

The crying disappeared which unnerved me more. Turning on my flashlight the walls were off brown with dried brown. A small hole blocked by the backpack was carved out from the wall. Debris from the various houses filled the small alley to the small slat.

I was getting off focus letting these noises and memories throw me off my focus. Climbing the roof bridge again I was shaking in anger knowing her friends had left her behind. Trudging over the floor boards I remembered one night.

Rain fell fast on the night she knocked on my door. Her hair was wet from the journey from her dorm room and her eyes were slightly wet behind the lenses of her glasses. She had humiliated herself by failing the exam and had to move back in to her family's house until she could save up enough to try again. While I was still in school I knew I would not be able to see her for a while. If I knew what was going to happen I may have just joined her...

Reaching the end of the bridge I brought my mind back to the door before me. Twisting the tarnished handle I was hoping there would be something to help me find out what happened. Opening in to the stairwell the stench of blood was so strong I spit bile back out to the grasses far below. Something died in the house with plenty of company. Checking my clips my pistols were full with plenty of ammo in the small bag I managed to hold on to. The med pack was in the top packet with many rations resting below it. Step by step the silence began to gnaw at me. Once my foot made contact did a loud bout of crying start again.

Gathering my stomach I turned the flashlight on shining to see a horrible vision. Large gashes cut through the drywall. Splatters and splashes in crude letters could be read in the words why and ugly. Turning left I suppose I should have gone slower. No later was the hallway brightened did something attack with a piercing scream. Hunters were silent killers while this thing was loud, pale, and a full foot shorter then any I had seen. It tackled me pinning me down before smashing my light knowing I was next. As the death blow was winding up I found turning was easier then expected much lighter then the hunters I was used to.

Turning over gave me the chance to pin it's arms to the floor. Despite all the wriggling to get out I was able to pin it. Grasping for anything I could while not freeing my attacker. Being bigger I forced my forearm on both of its wrists. Finally getting the broken flashlight out of my vest I could hear the snarls. Looking up I could see the faint glow of moonlight softened by dirty glass and fog. Hearing the glass break brought enough light for both of us to see the other. Being pale with sharp fingers my Leslie was looking up at me. Jumping back she seemed to retreat to the opposite one. She was a zombie, a zombie that massacred everyone else here regretting it.

The long blade like fingernails scraped the floor next to a familiar barrel. My pistol spun between her fingers beautifully before throwing it at me. She was not far behind going faster then I ever thought she could ready to slash at me. Jetting forward I threw myself at her bowling her back to the floor. Her strike grazed my cheek before my shoulder struck her in the chest.

"Leslie!"

"It's Aj, I am here to help you, oh what happened to you."

The words did not help as she tried to swing under my weight. Resting my forearm under her chin I could sense she wanted to scream more. Leaning my head under her chin it was ironic that I felt the crushing weight of my action. A girl I knew became this creature. I left a fairly safe group of survivors all because of one girl. I risked it all for her and I knew I was done when I started. Leaning close my lips met her cheek as her hair shone faintly as all struggling was quieted. For a moment I could see my Leslie behind those eyes.

"Loved ya, Les always did, always will."

Slipping out from under mine I felt nothing except the warmth of her smile before a hand speared into my torso. Blood soon filled my mouth while my breath was being cut shorter every time. Her other hand clasped her fingers through mine. Burning pain paired with the loss of blood as well as my own demise I could feel her arms pull me down in to a gentle hug.

It may sound weird. I'm actually happy I'm dying all because she's here. Rolling over she lay on me like a kid cuddling a teddy bear. Feeling my heart slow I could smile as each signaled a memory of times gone by. A touch of hands, clasping for the first time, her moving away, our last words. Pulling her hand to my lips. Kissing the cold flesh sweetly her blood from various cuts meeting my awareness.

Slipping away it all felt like I was sleeping with her again on that couch so many years ago. I just wished that I could have told her sooner.


End file.
